The year was 1989 and the coach that year was David McWilliams. And a rough year it was with our beloved Horns getting chainsawed in a game with the Houston Cougars by 50 points. But Texas was not the only one that was a victim of the Vaunted Veer machine. Many others fell to this seemingly unstoppable force piloted by Heisman trophy winner Andre Ware, a guy named Weatherspoon and a coach named Yeoman. The season ended with somewhat the same kind of losing marks ( 5-6) that the 2014 Horns ran off (6-7). Then the 1990 season begins much the same way this 2015 season does, with an opening game on the road against a marquee team in Penn State. The Horns get the victory over the Nittany Lions and thus began; THE SHOCK THE NATION TOUR. The Horns would go on to be the first to the stop the Houston Veer machine in what has been described by many as " one of the most electric games ever". The game had the feeling of a " War of the Worlds " movie as the TEXAS defense led by Brian Jones, Oscar Giles, Stanley "The Sheriff " Richards" , and Lance Gunn brought this menacing machine to a halt with a Huge Night Victory in Austin. A trip to the Cotton Bowl was the result and I will spare us the outcome. But could a win over the Irish TONIGHT be the beginning of SHOCK THE NATION II EXACTLY 25 years later? Go Horns GO Let's make it happen Charlie and company!!
A few other memorable players from that team. Peter Gardere Keith Cash Kerry Cash Butch Hadnot Willie Mack Garza Shane Dronett Lance Gunn A few 2nd half highlights here, I think the whole game is on YouTube.
Wasn't this the game that "Stormin" Norman Watkins finally picked off one of those sideways passes they kept throwing?
I had almost forgotten about Gardere. He is the very definition of an "overachiever" - performed at a much higher level than his pure athletic skill would have justified. But I'm glad the Horns didn't retire number 10 - I recall another (later) Longhorn QB who wore 10 and performed pretty well himself.
Jack Pardee was the coach for UH in ''89 and John Jenkins was head coach in '90. They quit running the veer I think in about '87 and went to a version of the "run and shoot" called something else by another name. They absolutely wore Texas out using it, until 1990. I dreaded playing them because i knew what was going to happen. The '90 team did shock the nation until they trotted out wearing black shoes for the first time against the U in the Cotton Bowl, like you said.
Thanks Galveston for lining me up on the coaches , there tenures and the Veer which gave way to the " Run and Shoot". It was an unstoppable force at the time. I guess if we don't stop it that night, then destiny would have possibly put Houston in the Cotton with the 'Canes! ?? Maybe Houston comes out better since Stan " the mouth" Thomas isn't there to tick the entire Miami squad off with untimely comments. You just didn't need to upset Russell Maryland and his buddies.
I'm shocked and totally dismayed. Unfortunately I don't think much of the nation was shocked as we've become a punch line on the gridiron.
I feel sick. Wrong way to shock the nation. Our offensive line still stinks. They won't block. When they finally do, they won't hold the block. The secondary, who's brilliant idea was is to fire Akina? Then we gave a guy at the end of the game doing a Miami Hurricanes impression standing over a guy. Duh scoreboard. At least one things for sure. We weren't playing Akron.